Part 2: The Legend of Sai Geetha…Unsurpassable and Eternal

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Sai Geetha - Announcing Her ‘Freedom’ “For fifteen days before her death, she was as if on a vow. She didn’t care about food at all, and would want me by her side always,” says Sri Pedda Reddy. “And two days before her passing away, that is on May 20, she broke open the chain tied to her legs, and walked to the garden and started playing on the sands in the middle of the night. I welded the chain the next day and put around her legs again as was the usual practice in the nights, but she released herself out of it a second time on May 21. But this time, it was in the early morning at 5.30, perhaps she was trying to break open the whole night. When I came to see her around 8 o clock, she was on the sands again just like the previous day. “It was surprising because she never

did this before. She would go out and play only if I had forgotten to chain her in the evening. Moreover, she was weak as she had virtually stopped food for nearly two weeks except taking few ragi (finger millet) balls with lot of persuasion, and even prior to this for five months she was suffering from some kind of stomach disorder and would not eat well at all. Various expert vets tried many medications, including antibiotic injections. More than Rs. 50,000 was spent on her, still her problem remained and as days progressed she only ate less and less. In the last week, her intake was close to nothing. “One day before her final crossover, I noticed that her front left leg was giving her pain and she was limping. I thought maybe some stone or twig accidentally was stuck in there which was hurting her. She was restless and not steady in one place like other days. On her legs for last 18 months...

Sai Geetha …An Enigma till the End “On May 22, the final fateful day, I came at 8:30 in the morning and took her for a bath. Even during bathing she was normal and I forgot about the stone in the leg as she didn’t complain of any discomfort. But suddenly as I was pouring water on her, she raised her front left leg showing signs of pain. I asked her to lift her leg - generally she would be able to hold the leg for sometime when she lifts - but on that day she was unable to hold the leg at all; immediately she kept it down. Keen to remove the cause of her pain on the foot, I asked her again to lift and hold her leg but her leg gave away immediately. This happened one more time and finally when she lifted her leg for the fourth time, she just sat down with a jerk. Now I could see the lower part of her leg but there was nothing visibly wrong there; no stick, or stone or mark of any injury. It is

probably only internal pain, I said to myself. “For one and half years Sai Geetha had not sat down, she was always on her legs day and night. Even during the night, she used to sleep standing on her legs or sometimes leaning on the wall. In this scenario, when she sat suddenly after more than eighteen months, her limbs refused to cooperate with her; she was unable to get up. “I sent word for a crane to help her to stand. Unfortunately, none were near by, and it took some time for the poclain to arrive. We tied a rope to the rear side of Sai Geetha and tried to pull, but the machine was unable to lift the elephant. Sai Geetha was six tonnes and the tonnage of the hydraulic motor was only two. The higher capacity crane was 100 kms away; we telephoned them and asked then to start. They could not start immediately due to technical

problems, so we asked for a crane from Bangalore and as it was coming it developed some problems, and lost some time in repair. Later, the vehicle’s tyre burst and by the time the crane finally arrived, it was very late.” Superficially, one may wonder, why did the Divine not intervene? How could there be so many obstacles for His dear devotee? But the wise know that everything actually happens according to divine design, though it is very difficult to accept and understand at that particular point in time. But it becomes clear later when one goes over the whole event in a peaceful state of mind. Same it was with Sai Geetha too. Sri Pedda Reddy continues: The last moments... “Up to 12.30 in the afternoon she was trying to get up and by that time she was exhausted. The legs, which had not bent for over one and half years, were giving her lot of pain. I could see that she was silently tolerating the hardship; she did not want to shout. There were tears in her eyes. We started giving her calcium injections and saline for strength;

about 10-12 bottles of the sterile solution went into her, but nothing seemed to help. She, then, slowly started to drop her head; it had become too heavy for her, she was unable to move it either. And then her breathing slowed down. She lay in this condition for an hour or so and then at about six she bid a peaceful adieu and immediately, Swami was informed.” How did the Lord react that evening when He physically received this message, we do not know. But what we do know is that at about 8 pm, Swami sent a ball of payasam (a sweet dish) specially prepared in His kitchen to Sri Pedda Reddy with instructions that it be fed to Sai Geetha. The over 65-year old caretaker had never disobeyed Swami in his life but now he was in a critical dilemma. How to feed a dead elephant? The doctors had confirmed that her pulse has stopped. With prayer on his lips, and no other solution in

sight, Sri Pedda Reddy poured the prasadam into her mouth and gently covered her face again with the white cloth. To this day, it remains a mystery to Sri Reddy how the semi-solid offering went inside. There was no sign of it being dropped or slipped from her mouth onto the ground till the next morning. The Lord Vishnu arrives ... On Swami’s instructions, the whole night was spent digging a huge pit in the centre of the new building that Swami had built for her six months ago. Cranes and earthmovers worked continuously, and by early morning the massive 20 by 16 feet hole was ready. “When Swami arrived at 7:30 in the morning to the site, I could not contain myself. I was crying,” says an emotional Pedda Reddy. “And Swami lowered the window-glass and caught hold of my hand. He was very emotional too. It was like we both shared the same intensity of feeling. Then He told me to open the car door and His chair came down. He went as close as possible to Sai Geetha, took Vibhuti and smeared all over her head. For a couple of minutes, He was there, pressing her head with His fingers, stroking her trunk,

applying vibhuti on her face and limbs. He lovingly then moved His fingers over her eyes. In fact, He asked me to open her eyes which I did. Though it was fifteen hours since she had passed away ‘clinically’, her body was still supple and flexible. It was like she was sleeping. Normally, two hours after life passes away, a dead body would become very stiff, but Sai Geetha that morning had no stiffness, the trunk was bending easily and her eye seemed to be looking at Swami.” “Go happily, peacefully” In fact, Swami confirmed this in His discourse to the students a few days later. He said, “The other day Sai Geetha discarded her body. But I pointed out to her, “Geetha,

look here. I am constructing a Mandir for you. She opened her eyes and saw me, but she was very weak. What else she could do? She only shed tears. When the end came and she was going, I said, “So, you are going. Ok, go happily, peacefully.” One cannot but recollect at this point the final moments of Swami’s foster mother Mrs. Subbamma. Though medically she was declared ‘dead’, a peculiar glow on her face made everybody nervous to take her to the cremation ground and the wise men of Bukkapatnam said, “The bird has not flown yet!” Three full days had passed since the first announcement of her death by the time Swami came to her deathbed after attending a function in Tirupati. But the moment Swami called out, “Subbamma”, “Subbamma”, just twice, she opened her eyes! And her hand was next stroking Swami’s hand lovingly. Swami then put His fingers to her lips and she opened her mouth a little, and from the cupped palm of Swami next flowed holy water into her mouth and she

joined the ranks of the Released! Sai Geetha’s merger was no different, though everything was not so apparent to the ordinary onlooker. After Sai Geetha was satisfied completely and Swami had bid her final farewell, He turned His attention to the huge pit dug inside her new building. Sri Pedda Reddy recalls, The final communion... Gajendra Moksha! The silent communication... The last words - "Go Happily, Peacefully! " “He saw the pit and then asked me to come to the Mandir to take Sai Geetha’s dress. He also instructed me how to drape the sequined body blanket on her body and also instructed all the materials that

should be put in the pit before lowering Sai Geetha’s body into it.” A Splendid Farewell by the Divine Himself According to His directions, the bottom of the pit was first covered with sand. This was followed by coconut leaves, then Banana leaves, other small plants that Sai Geetha used to relish and finally fresh green grass that she loved the most. It was a multi-layered huge bed with all that Sai Geetha relished. But that was not all. On top of this was poured rice – many bags of them -, followed by flowers, turmeric powder and vermillion. Once everything was completed as per His divine direction, Sri Pedda Reddy returned to the Mandir and Swami then asked him to open the jewels of Sai Geetha that He

always kept in His residence. Along with the dress, Swami also selected some of the jewels that she should be adorned with while putting her to rest at her Samadhi site. And then handing over a pair of silk clothes to Sri Pedda Reddy, He said, “You should do all these tasks. Shower and then wear this new silk dress and be ready, I will come there.” The specially prepared pit Preparations according to Divine Directions Meticulously arranged items for the base of the pit A befitting bed for the beloved of the Lord Just as He had promised, Swami was at the site at 10.45 am. Efforts were on with the help of a crane to lift the 6000 kg body of Sai Geetha and move it to the other end of the

compound where the pit was dug. Swami followed the progress of the job every second sitting in His car. The crane was big and could not enter the building. It was nearly one hour since Swami had arrived and the scorching summer heat was draining everyone’s energy. Sri Pedda Reddy went to Swami and said, “Swami, it is very hot here and moving her is taking lot of time too. You may please return to Mandir.” But Swami’s reply was an instantaneous, “No.” “I will wait till the end,” He said. After 90 minutes of tough maneuvering with the machine, Sai Geetha was finally placed on the bed specially created and Swami, whose eyes were overcome with emotion as He saw His most precious devotee for the last time, blessed her again. More turmeric and vermillion was offered. Lots of garlands were spread on her body including a big

one which Swami asked senior members of the Trust to place on her, and finally she was covered with mud. Only then, did Swami return to His residence. The Princess laid to rest... Bedecked for her last journey Auspicious Offerings of vermillion, turmeric, vibhuti... A life fragrant like the camphor in the arati... The beautiful building that was her home six months ago was now her Samadhi. When we asked Sri Pedda Reddy, “Did you think that the eye-catching elegant structure that Swami built for her would be her Samadhi one day?” He said, “Yes, even while this new building was being constructed, given the carvings and ornamentation that went into making it, I thought maybe one day this would be her

Samadhi. I remember, after her old shed was demolished, Swami one day came to me with a plan, called me near and said, ‘See this, we will make a beautiful, big and permanent building for her.’ Still, I never realized at that point that ‘permanent’ actually meant ‘Samadhi’; I only thought of it as her final house from where she will never have to shift again in the future.” The Samadhi of Sai Geeta... ...A temple of unmatched love Sai Geetha – Ever-fresh in Sai’s Heart Swami had planned every little detail meticulously much in advance for His dearest

devotee. And this year, the Lord suddenly changed his plans to return to Puttaparthi from Kodaikanal on May 18, instead of going to Brindavan as was his usual practice every year, and everyone wondered the reason behind the unexpected divine decision until it all became very clear in a matter of four days. For Swami, Sai Geetha was more important than all the hundreds of devotees that prayed to Him to extend His stay in Kodaikanal for few more days or the thousands of devotees from Bangalore who pleaded with Him repeatedly to visit Brindavan at least for a few weeks. In the 108 names of the Lord, one line exalts him as “Om Sri Sai Bhaktha Paradheenaya Namah” which means, “We salute the Lord who is actually under the control of His devotee.” Just like Hanuman was one, Meerabai was one, Sai Geetha was one – demonstrating to man the power and the pinnacle of pure love. And as Lord Rama laid the dedicated Jatayu to rest on His lap and Himself performed all the funeral rites,

Swami too treated Sai Geetha just as His very own. He was there every second directing every act in her last moments. Not only that, on the 11th day after her burial, He visited the site again and asked Sri Pedda Reddy to place bananas, apples, ragi balls and sweets on the Samadhi and then directed for all these to be distributed to few poor people and also to feed all the cows in the Gokulam. It is a tradition in many houses in India to serve the poor in the name of the deceased on the 11th day after death and here Swami was Himself doing this for Sai Geetha. Truly, no other being ever captured Swami’s heart to the extent this elephant-devotee did. “If Swami is ‘Love in Action’,” says Sri Raja Reddy, a very senior Sai devotee, “Sai Geetha was ‘Devotion in Action.’” As one who had seen Sai Geetha when she arrived at the Ashram as a tiny infant nearly five decades ago and observed her grow into a majestic and magnificent devotee, Sri

Raja Reddy in his ‘Ode to Sai Geetha’ says: The Lord arrives... ...for the

11th day ritual Directing the care taker... All rituals done as per divine command An Ode to Sai GeethaSmall you came, Big you became.Big both in body & spiritBut, big in body, small in ego,It is

not for nothingSai named you “ SAI GITA”For you have a MESSAGEApt for this AGEDiscipline and DevotionDuty, DiscriminationAlong with DeterminationYour performance based upon, Rain or Shine,You led the Procession Good & GorgeousWith gong on either sideCalm Majesty,Spectacular but silent;Spotting Swami in the crowdIn bubbling devotion you bowed!Once duty performedBack in your dear AbodeReceding back into Reticence!For years and for decadesThis went on and on !You emulated BhagavanTo make your life a MessageWhile Sai’s Life is Love in ActionSai Gita’s Life, Devotion in ActionYour message, mute but eloquent,Silent eloquence but elephantineWe miss you Sai GitaFor in your absence Missing is intenseAs being, sans air or waterAeons ago, it was Gajendra MokshaThen by Sai VishnuNow it is Gajarani MokshaGiven by Sai KrishnaWith this as our

solace,A happy smile’s on our face. Sai Geetha - A Monumental Ideal and Inspiration Ms. Smruti Rath, a devotee from Bangalore, says, “ Love neither dies, nor it ends, and Sai Geetha taught us how true love lives, even when life comes to an end.” The homage the Sai community paid to Sai Geetha world over, be it special Sai spiritual meetings from

Kerala to Kashmir in India or special programs complete with powerpoint presentations and performances by small kids in Malaysia; or the poor feeding done on the 11th day of her passing by the Sai Youth in Hyderabad; or a big card created by the Bal Vikas children of Qatar honouring her or the several cute drawings that the small kids of the Sathya Sai School of Canada sketched in her memory or for that matter, the innumerable ways each Sai devotee remembered in reverence this exalted devotee of the Lord – every act, small or big, only went to show the indelible impact this elephant-devotee of the Lord had made in the hearts and minds of thousands of devotees from California to Canberra without ever speaking a word. The Qatar Bal Vikas children offer their tribute Tiny tots from the Canada School... ...Express their love for Dear Sai Geeta We love you... ...And miss you too Paying her own special tribute to Sai Geetha, Ms. Jullie Chaudhuri, a devotee from Pune, India, writes: A Tribute

to Sai GeethaThe Master, the Lord of the UniverseHad tears in His Lotus eyes?Everything we have experienced of HimThat He has allowed us to,This act defies…Yet, it is so,Emotions did flow,And what did this tremendous flow show?To what did it open the door?Lessons to be learned,So much to be discerned,Lessons of kindness, tolerance, compassion,Acceptance, purity, reciprocation,And above all, a lesson saturated with love…For Sai Geetha to live, this expansive loveWas more than enough…She was a gift from the animal kingdom To the Lord of the Universe in human form,Her story unfolded to show,Specially for Him was she born…Her life, her focus, her core,Her everything was Swami, Swami, SwamiAnd this is a lesson for the rest of humanity…A lesson of an ideal relationship between Creator and Creation,Of what to choose, and what to shun, No other

attraction, And specially no distraction,Complete absorption,Reaching a pinnacle of devotion,A bond so touching, And a reciprocation so fulfilling…What we humans couldn’t do,This monumental example, With matchless devotion as her clue,This grand soul did bring glory to the animal kingdom, And did us all stun…For, she did win the heart of the Lord,And, brought tears in the eyes of our Living God,To wake us up, A clarion call,A supreme lesson for us all,Her life, her love, her devotion, A lesson for us all,When Bhagwan came as Shri Ram,He performed the last rites to highlight the glory of Jatayu,And from the self-same divine hands, Of this, His present Avataric form,Sai Geetha got her befitting due, and a divine adieu… Be like Sai Geetha and You will be Mine - Swami Towards the end of His discourse to the students in the first moral class session of the Institute, Swami, after speaking for nearly 15 minutes on Sai Geetha said, “If you can only remember and ruminate on the intense love that Sai Geetha had for Swami and develop such sacred and noble thoughts, I will Myself take you close to My heart. You do not have to do anything else.” Together we are free, Together we are bound; I in you and you in Me... Just like every act of Swami, be it the Hospitals or the Water Projects or the Institute, are models for the whole world to replicate, the Legend of Sai Geetha too is the unfolding of yet another powerful and profound mission manifested by the Will of the Divine to help and guide mankind to scale blissful heights in the spiritual realm, which are very much attainable, and to discover the heaven of lasting peace, joy and happiness. - Heart2Heart Team

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